King Of Her Heart
by roothlace
Summary: In which Merlin convinces Gwen and Arthur to stay at Gwen's house during the episode "The Once and Future Queen"


_Merlin_ doesn't belong to me.

**King Of Her Heart**

Merlin looked at Arthur in amazement. "It means this much to you?"

"Yes, Merlin, it does."

"Why?"

"How am I supposed to improve my skills, to know my real strength," Arthur argued, "if everyone is afraid to fight me?"

"But pretending to be someone else?"

"I want to be treated normally for once," Arthur said.

"Sure you do."

Arthur glared at Merlin and was about to comment about his tone when he remembered something else. "Have you sorted out everything, Merlin?"

"Yes," Merlin replied. "Yes, I have."

"Good," Arthur said. "I'm supposed to be riding out tomorrow morning. Meet me in the woods with my clothes after the guard leaves."

Merlin nodded and left Arthur's chambers.

000

Merlin was staring at Gwen, staring so hard, that she put down the cup of water she'd been drinking and looked at him.

"Merlin, what is it?"

He'd come to her house as soon as she'd left the Castle. It had a long day and she had been looking forward to spending some time alone in her house.

"Gwen, I really need to talk to you."

"I'm listening."

When he didn't say a word, she asked again. "Merlin, what is it?"

"It's Arthur."

Gwen took a deep steadying breath and prayed that Merlin hadn't noticed her hand shaking. She hoped that there was nothing wrong with the prince.

"I hope that he's fine," she said in what she hoped was an offhand manner.

"He's fine, very fine in fact."

"Okay…?"

"But we, that is, he needs your help."

"What is it, Merlin?"

"He sort of needs a place to stay for the next few days," Merlin said.

"Why can't he stay at the Castle?"

"Thing is," Merlin said, "He told his father that he was going to be out of Camelot for a few days but he's actually not going."

"I still don't understand what this has to do with me," Gwen said.

"He wants to take part in the tournament without anyone knowing that it's him," Merlin explained. "So he's told everyone that he's left but he's actually around and needs a place to stay for the next few days."

"No."

"Gwen, please."

"Merlin, I can't have Arthur living with me in this house," Gwen told him. "It would not be right."

"Okay, I admit, he's kind of a slob," Merlin said, "but he needs to do this and you're the only one who can help us."

"Merlin, it will be awkward," Gwen said, "I mean I'll have to spend time with him, talk to him."

"Yeah." Merlin smiled.

"I don't think I'll be able to do it," Gwen said.

"Think of it as an education," Merlin told her.

"Education?"

"Yes," Merlin replied, "a chance for you to learn more about this man you secretly like, I guess it's that whole prince thing that makes girls like him."

"What?!"

"Gwen, please don't say it's because he's a great warrior, but then…"

"Merlin!"

"Yes?"

"Man that I secretly like?"

Merlin smiled at her, he had seen the way Gwen and Arthur acted around each other. There was something going on between them.

"Your problem, Gwen is that you can't admit your true feelings."

Gwen looked at Merlin and saw that he was smirking, actually smirking, at her, like he knew something. Hang on, she said to herself, true feelings? What did he mean true feelings? There weren't any feelings to talk about let alone admit to. Unless Merlin was talking about the anger and disappointment she sometimes felt towards Arthur. He was such a good man and she really believed all those words she had told him when he'd almost died from the injury with the Questing Beast, that he would be a great king, but other than that there were no feelings. None whatsoever.

"Merlin, don't be ridiculous," she told him, "There are no feelings." She stood up and went to her little kitchen. She needed to make herself a cup of tea, come to think of it, she was really hungry. Hopefully, there was still some fish in the market, she would go and buy some for her supper.

Merlin just continued to stare at her, smiling softly. He could almost see the thoughts chasing around in her mind. "Don't worry," he tried to reassure her, "I won't tell anyone."

"There's nothing to tell."

"Well, then."

"Fine," Gwen muttered. So, Merlin had discovered something which she herself was only beginning to feel. He was right; somehow without rhyme or reason, Gwen was beginning to see Prince Arthur in a new light. She was beginning to see him as the man of her dreams, her impossible dreams.

"Fine?"

"Yes, fine," Gwen was getting irritable. The whole situation was ridiculous, how could she have let it happen? "Maybe. Somewhere. Buried deep inside me is an …unrealistic attraction to Arthur."

"Finally, someone admits it," Merlin said triumphantly. Now, all he had to do was to get Arthur to admit his own feelings as well, and then Merlin would tease them both. "You see Gwen, honesty is so liberating."

"But he still can't stay with me."

"Gwen, please," Merlin pleaded. "If you won't do this for him, do it for me."

"For you?"

"You won't want me to go back to Arthur and in some of ramblings let it slip that you couldn't help him because you're in love with him, would you?"

"Merlin, I can't believe you're trying to blackmail me."

"Gwen, I'm desperate, please."

"Fine," Gwen said. Merlin stood up to leave but Gwen's words stopped him. "And Merlin, not a word about your ridiculous ideas."

"Of course."

000

"Where are we going then?"

Arthur had finished changing into his disguise and walked with Merlin back to Camelot. Merlin had told him that he had sorted everything about this charade out, right down to finding him a place to stay, as well as replacement knight.

"You'll see soon enough," Merlin replied.

"Merlin I'm not taking another step until I know exactly where we are going." Arthur stopped walking and glared at his servant. He sincerely hoped that Merlin had found him a proper house in which to stay.

"Okay, if you must know," Merlin said. "We're going to Gwen's house."

"Guinevere's house?"

They were going to Guinevere's house. Somehow Merlin had convinced Guinevere to let him spend a few days at her house. He was going to spend countless hours, alone, with Guinevere. How was he going to manage it?

"I can't," Arthur told Merlin.

"Why not?" Merlin asked. "Is it because you think you won't be able to control your feelings around her?"

"What?!"

"You know… your feelings for Gwen," Merlin said.

"I have no idea what you're prattling on about." Arthur denied hotly.

Merlin's smile widened. "Of course, you don't."

"Merlin, I'm serious."

"Of course, you are Sire." Merlin pretended to courtesy.

"Spill it, Merlin," Arthur said. "I know you're dying to tell me so just say it."

"I know how you feel about Gwen."

Arthur didn't say a word; he couldn't deny it so he didn't bother to try.

"I mean, it was a bit shocking," Arthur glared at his friend, "I mean I was shocked when I realized how you felt about her, and it is not without its problems, I mean she's a servant and you're the prince. But then when have you ever taken the easy way out."

"Merrrrlin."

"Right, sorry," Merlin said. "Anyway Gwen agreed to let you stay at her house, so don't ruin it."

"Ruin it?" Arthur rolled his eyes. "That's your job."

"Right, then," Merlin said, "we best be on our way."

000

Two days later Gwen was ready to throw in the towel and throw Arthur out of her house. Prince or not, she was under no obligation to keep his secret and to hide him in her house. He was rude and arrogant – he had taken her bed without even asking, he made her fetch water for him to have bath, she had to cook and clean up after him and he snored.

Honestly, it was a good thing she'd talked herself out of the crush she had begun to have on him. He would be a great king, but he was not the king of her heart.

000


End file.
